-- Iranian filmmaker Shahram Mokri's mystery drama "Black Rabbit, White Rabbit" won best picture at the Golden Coconut Awards ceremony. This concluded the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) in Sanya, Hainan province on Dec. 9.
Representatives for "Black Rabbit, White Rabbit" go on stage to accept the best picture award at the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival closing ceremony and the Golden Coconut Awards ceremony in Sanya, Hainan province, Dec. 9, 2025. [Photo courtesy of HIIFF Organizing Committee]
The film, a co-production between Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates, stars prominent Tajik actors Babak Karimi, Hasti Mohammaï, and Kibriyo Dilyobova. The bold drama weaves three seemingly disconnected stories into one through flowing, expertly choreographed takes: a film set armorer suspects a fake firearm is real, an aspiring actor demands an audition, and a car crash victim fears their accident was deliberate.
Mokri entrusted the film's production designer to read his acceptance letter at the HIIF ceremony. He thanked the entire team, "as this film is the result of everyone's collaboration." He expressed hope to return to Hainan in the future to present new films.
"Black Rabbit, White Rabbit" has been selected to represent Tajikistan in the best international feature film category at the 98th Oscars.
This year's HIIFF received 4,564 submissions from 119 countries and regions. Amongst them for consideration were 14 feature films, 6 documentaries, and 10 short films. These were shortlisted for the Golden Coconut Awards competition. All awards and honors were voted by a jury led by the renowned Italian film festival curator, producer and scholar, Marco Müller.
Müller noted that during the process, the jury watched numerous highly exploratory films, showcasing diverse creative directions and expressive paths. The selected works this year span three generations of directors, reflecting a convergence of cinematic power across different eras. "We hope that the final results from this jury will truly match this diverse, inclusive film platform," he said.
Lee Hong-chi's "A Dance in Vain" and Julian Radlmaier's "Phantoms of July" shared the Grand Jury Prize.
The Chinese film "A Dance in Vain" was awarded for its acute cultural observation and authentic emotional expression, the jury comment read.
"I have always viewed filmmaking as a continuous learning process, without any utilitarian intent. Whatever moves me or sparks my interest is what I choose to film," said director Lee. He also thanked the film's lead actor, Wang Zixuan, who is also his wife, for her support through their journey.
Joel Alfonso Vargas won best director award for his "Mad Bills to Pay." Destiny Checo, Yohanna Florentino and Nathaly Navarro shared the best actress award for their outstanding chemistry and nuanced performances.
Theodore Pellerin won best actor award for his performance in French film "Nino."
Sophy Romvari and Miguel de Zuviria shared the best scriptwriter award for their works "Blue Heron" and "Brought with the Storm," respectively. "Mare's Nest" won best visual effect.
Ye Zhenpeng's "Eternal Summer" was recognized as the best Chinese contribution of the year. Ye said in his acceptance speech that the film about youth was his first film, made at age 21, while thanking HIIFF for providing opportunities for young directors.
Nicolas Graux and Truong Minh Quy's "Hair, Paper, Water..." won best documentary film, while Randa Maroufi's "L'mina" won best short film.
The jury also presented two special mentions: Wang Yu's "I Sing, I Love, I Exist" was recognized with a special mention for documentary film, and "Ayi" received a special mention for short film.
The 7th HIIFF concluded on Tuesday night. The festival featured the Golden Coconut Forum, masterclasses, the young filmmaker film pitch, film events marking the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations, and the premiere of James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash." As a pioneering project in the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, HIIFF has attracted global attention through its professional judging standards and multicultural vision.
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